How to cook jam from strawberries?
Strawberry jam cooked at home is a favorite treat of many families. Fragrant thick delicious jam can be spread on bread, used as a filler for cakes or used with tea.
Cooking features
It is quite simple to make jam from berries at home, however there are some recommendations of experienced chefs that every hostess should know. If you plan to cook the jam from self-grown strawberries, then it should be collected in the dry period so that it does not turn out to be watery. Any fruit is suitable for jam, even over-ripe, the main thing is unspoiled. Before chopping the berries, they should be thoroughly washed, and only then remove the leaves. It is important that water does not get into the fetus, otherwise it may become watery.
It takes a lot of time to get a thick jam, but there is a little trick to speed it up. You can add a little pectin or apples, which contribute to a more rapid thickening of the jam. Another product that accelerates the cooking process is sugar. The more of it, the faster everything will be ready. Without fail, before transferring the finished product to banks, they should be sterilized, as well as lids. Store sealed cans should be at normal temperature, after opening the jam should be transferred to the refrigerator, where it is stored for about two weeks.
Recipes
There are many recipes tested by housewives for the winter.
Classic recipe
This method has been used by our grandmothers and is not tested by one generation. To cook the jam, you need 1 kg of strawberries and 0.5 kg of granulated sugar. Berries should be thoroughly washed, cleaned from the leaves and lay in a saucepan, then sprinkle with sugar on top. In this state, the contents of the pan left overnight, so that the fruit allowed to juice. In the morning the container is put on a slow fire, and the contents are cooked for 55 minutes. Next, the resulting mass should be cooled and grind through a sieve, then put back on the fire and wait until the composition thickens.
Quick recipe
This method of preparation is most often used by young housewives, since it is much simpler than the previous one. The time of thickening of the jam depends on the degree of watering of the strawberry, since the more water there is, the longer it will be cooked.
Components:
- 1 kg of strawberries;
- 1 kg of granulated sugar.
Cooking:
Rinse the berries thoroughly, remove the leaves and whisk in a blender. When the puree mass is ready, it should be poured into a saucepan with a thick bottom, add sugar and mix everything thoroughly. Next, the pan is placed on medium heat, and the mass is cooked to obtain a uniform composition. It is recommended at this stage to periodically stir the contents of the container.
The thicker the mass becomes, the less fire should be. After half an hour, the mass is recommended to check for the level of density. To do this, take a small wooden spoon, which you need to scoop the contents, and gradually pour back, watching the consistency of drops. Sign of readiness jam will be large falling folds. Now you can roll it into the banks.
The great advantage of this jam is the increased sugar content, which, as it is known, is the best preservative, respectively, and the delicacy can be stored for much longer.
In the slow cooker
In the presence of a multivarki, the preparation of strawberry jam is greatly facilitated.
Components:
- 1 kg of strawberries;
- 0.5 kg of granulated sugar;
- 1/3 Art. clean water.
Cooking:
First, all the fruits are thoroughly washed, leaves are removed and laid in a bowl so that excess liquid flows out. Next, strawberries should be folded into the bowl of the multicooker, pour in water, add sugar and for one hour turn on the "quenching" mode. After turning off the device, open the lid to allow the jam to cool slightly. Then the contents are whipped in a blender. If you do not want to have grains in the jam, you should first walk on tolkushkoy berries, and then grind everything through a fine sieve.
The resulting composition is again poured into the slow cooker and put on the "extinguishing" mode. As boiling down, jam should be periodically checked for density.If the fruits are watery, it may take about two hours. Warm jam is rolled up in banks and sent to storage in the pantry. Open cans should be kept in the refrigerator.
For filling
Modern grocery stores offer a wide selection of special fixers for preparations for the winter. As a rule, gelatin is used for the jam, but many still prefer pectin, which does not give a taste of jam. With the help of a fixer, you can not only increase the shelf life, but also give the jam a pleasant aroma.
Components:
- 3 kg of ripe strawberries;
- 1.5 kg of granulated sugar;
- 1 packet of gelatin.
Cooking:
Rinse the berries thoroughly, remove the leaves and whip in a puree-like mass. Add sugar and gelatin. Mix the mixture thoroughly, put on the fire and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring occasionally. Prepare for the winter spread on the banks.
At any time you can get a thick tasty jam and use it as a filling for the cake.
Low sugar
This recipe can be called diet.
Components:
- 2.5 kg of strawberries;
- 1 kg of granulated sugar;
- 1/4 liter of water;
- 50 g of fruit pectin.
Cooking:
Clean strawberries should be put in a saucepan with a thick bottom, add water and put on a small fire. When the mass boils, cooking should continue for another 15 minutes. Then the pan is removed from the heat, and the resulting mass is rubbed through a fine sieve and returns to the pan. Sugar is added to it, and the contents are cooked for another hour on low heat. From time to time the mass should be stirred.
When the sugar is completely dissolved, gelatin or pectin is added to the pan. It is necessary to continue cooking until the jam reaches the desired consistency, after which it is poured into jars.
Due to the presence of pectin in the composition, the jam will be stored for a long time, even despite the low sugar content.
With apples
Apples contain a large amount of pectin, which is one of the best conservatives for jam, respectively, they will give not only the original taste of jam, but also bring considerable benefits for its storage.
Components:
- 1 kg of strawberries;
- 1 kg of apples;
- 0.5 liters of water;
- 1 kg of granulated sugar.
Cooking:
Rinse the fruits thoroughly, remove the leaves and whip with a blender to a puree-like mass. Wash apples, peel them, remove seeds, cut them into pieces and put them into a container inside which they will be whipped with a blender. Two mashed potatoes mix well with each other and put on fire. After 5 minutes, pour the sugar and continue cooking for an hour, stirring occasionally. Ready jam pour in banks and store in storage in the pantry.
Some cooks recommend adding some cinnamon to these ingredients: it will give the jam an unforgettable flavor.
With sweet cherry
The combination of strawberries and cherries has always been loved by children. Sweet berries give a wonderful aroma and delicate flavor to homemade jam.
Components:
- 1 kg of sweet cherries;
- 1 kg of strawberries;
- 1/4 liter of water;
- 1.5 kg of granulated sugar.
Cooking:
Rinse fruits thoroughly and dry. Separate the leaves from the strawberry and whip with a blender. Clean pitted cherries, add water and boil in a saucepan with a thick bottom for half an hour, then strain through a fine sieve. Combine both berry purees and mix well in a saucepan, add sugar and put on a small fire, stirring the mass regularly. Boil down the composition should be ready. It is determined by the density. Jam pour on pre-prepared banks and store.
The recipe for making strawberry jam, see below.